Network operating system and method

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a system and method for a network operating system. The system includes a complex data medium that enables the continuous reconciliation of the collaborative information process and product. The system generally increases productivity by enabling a network dynamic among knowledge workers. The system unifies e-mail and shared file management, synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, serial and parallel work flow, top-down and bottom-up collaboration, and information lifecycle management.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to a system and method of providingcollaboration in computer environments and, more specifically, to asystem and method of collaborative knowledge work in a computer ornetwork environment.

2. Background Description

In today's world, the concept of collaboration has many differentmeanings. In attempts to provide some measure of collaborative“knowledge work”, the marketplace has fragmented data access systems sothat composite and unified sharing arrangements are essentiallyunachievable. For example (but not limited to), the followingtechnologies are often used in attempts to implement collaborativeknowledge work: E-mail, Workflow Automation, Groupware, Peer-to-PeerCollaboration, Enterprise Portal Services, Personal File System, DataGrid.

One aim of collaboration technology may be to increase the productivityof knowledge work. Available technologies have not accomplished thisgoal. Despite significant investment in collaboration technology, suchas those undertaken to various degrees by Groove Networks, Lotus Notes,and Microsoft SharePoint, a leading industry analyst still asserts that“e-mail is used 90-95% of the time when people engage in collaboration.”A leading industry executive summed up the problem as: “The best thatcan be done today is simply using electronic mail where you're justmailing out things, and you get various people proposing edits on thosethings, and you're trying to pull it back together. There's no realsharing there; there's just e-mail going back and forth.”

Another leading industry research group reports that “e-mail is not anefficient interactive tool.” And finally, a leading industry researchgroup states that it “does not believe vendors can perpetuate thevalue-added myth that groupware is anything more than e-mail”. In thislast quote, groupware is referring to collaborative systems vis-{graveover (s)}-vis e-mail. The group concludes by suggesting that “thereshould be more to collaboration than e-mail.”

Two categories of technology currently capture the substantial breadthof available collaboration systems: e-mail and the shared file system.Whereas industry leaders peg e-mail as “the problem” and offer solutionsenabling a shared file system, e-mail continues to dominate the marketfor collaboration. E-mail is not the problem, and the shared file systemis not the solution.

The general form of a data and software system today may be a single,static, and hierarchical tree structure. The file system and relationaldatabase both typically share this structure.

Good system design today may involve reducing complexity by normalizingdata and object structures within a single hierarchy, as a “uniform”.Stated simply, the current medium of information work is discontinuouswith this result: workers store data, have knowledge, and exchangeinformation. Workers know what they store and retrieve in data systems(pull). They receive what they do not know (information) by explicitmeans of communication. Thus, what is stored in data systems is not theinformation product, but a data product. Its value is not stored, butknown and communicated by explicit means (such as e-mail and telephone).

If collaboration is a function of information, and not data, thencollaboration today is performed by explicit means only, and is notmanaged systematically. Users directly communicate information based oncontextual knowledge of data through e-mail, phone, and at theproverbial “water cooler”. Explicit/direct information transfer islargely slow, ad-hoc, unreliable, and incomplete.

Existing computer environments for knowledge work, while frequentlylabeled information systems, are in fact only data systems. The productof knowledge work is a complex combination of content and context.Knowledge workers currently store the content of data as a file, butremember the data context, the informational component of data. That is,the element of data that is information is not stored in data systemstoday. Existing data mediums lack the critical element of information:“context”.

This explains why the content of existing data systems is largely voidof information. These data systems lack the context required to convertdata into information. Knowledge workers remember data context, andstore data content. A “knowledge gap” then exists by definition betweenthe contextual knowledge of one worker and another (why knowledgeworkers need knowledge). The knowledge gap is the “unknown unknown”(versus a “known unknown”). The knowledge gap makes information todaylargely invaluable and unmanageable. The knowledge gap resultantly leadsto the hierarchical, top-down structure of knowledge work andorganizational hierarchy, and hence, its systematic inefficiency andunmanageability.

Stored data currently lacks the context/information required tointerpret data content. As such, the knowledge gap accounts for a lackof knowledge transfer, and ultimately the loss of core value in theknowledge economy. The reality of knowledge work today was recentlydescribed by a well know industry executive as “the cess pool that isthe file system”. A large volume of data, lacking information context,is meaningless. Given the limitations of the human mind, stored data islargely unmanageable and incapable of providing long-term value.

The knowledge gap explains why data systems today are “pull” oriented.Workers pull data out of the system based on their (contextual)knowledge of its content. The knowledge gap also explains why knowledgework is pull oriented beyond computer data systems and is whyindividuals become information specialists, or contextual knowledgerepositories (such as, for example, an attorney with specific knowledgeof a client or matter). Knowledge work has remained pull orientedbecause the only complex data medium presently in existence isessentially the human mind.

As such, while data is managed, information today is unmanaged. Thefundamental limitation/flaw of each of the above system as a techniqueof collaboration may be characterized as follows e-mail:

E-mail is purely decentralized (a decentralized process and product).Context is the central, enabling feature of e-mail based collaboration.The inbox is a unique and private store for each user. A messagecomprises a unique information context (containing the message and fileattachments) for a specified group of recipients. Context may beconsidered a private information space shared by a group of individuals(context may also describe the component of knowledge currentlyuncaptured by data systems). E-mail provides superior context by itsease of use and flexibility. Participating in a private informationcontext is simply a matter of creating or replying to a message, withattached files.

However, its “explicit” mode of information transfer inducesoverwhelming complexity in a collaborative setting. The quantity ofexplicit information required to coordinate a collaboration increasesexponentially with the number of workers (on the order of 2^(n), where‘n’ is the number of workers), resulting in information exchange that isslow, ad-hoc, unreliable, and incomplete (and which grows increasinglyinefficient with the number of workers or volume of managedinformation).

Finally, with each file exchanged by e-mail attachment, thecollaborative product becomes “dis-integrated”. File sets and theirconstituent versions divide and exponentiate in number across userinboxes and file systems, creating an intellectually unmanageableproduct and process (work of one individual is frequently lost, unknown,or conflicts with others' work).

The shared file system is purely centralized. As a result, it providesonly one context—itself. Pure centralization thus sacrifices context infavor of a uniform and shared file structure. But how can two users workon the same document or stage a review cycle? Typically, users resort toe-mail. A single, shared structure is incapable of supporting therequisite context of interaction among workers in a collaborativesetting. For example, consider what occurs if a team creates two sharedspaces, and accessed by different members. By creating multipleinformation spaces, the team has simply fragmented, or disintegrated theinformation product. In gaining collaborative “context” (e.g., forexample, a private shared information space), the team typicallyfragments the collaborative information product and loses continuity.Finally, allowing users to simultaneously edit to a file does not initself provide context, since there remains only one (albeit shared)information context (e-mail remains the only medium for contextualcollaboration).

Serial and parallel work flow in current data management systems remainunreconciled. For example, assuming an information space is currentlyembodied as a shared file store, recent implementations automaticallysynchronize a space (in a parallel work flow) by exchanging deltas amongmembers of the space in real-time. Such peer-to-peer systems effectivelyenable parallel work flow, but miss the necessary element of serial workflow. As a result, knowledge workers resort to e-mail for serial workflow. E-mail allows the staged transfer of files/versions, and as such,is the de facto standard for serial work flow. In this way, work flow isbifurcated between two systems: the shared file store/real-timeconferencing technology (parallel work flow) and e-mail (serial workflow).

Those technologies typically identified as “work flow system” (such as,for example, Microsoft SQL Work Flow Designer or InfoPath) requireconstruction of a work flow prior to execution. Such work flow is usedto perform repetitive tasks (e.g., billing, accounting, or surveys).However, this system class is effectively (and in practice) excludedfrom use by knowledge workers, since neither the process nor product ofknowledge work can be known before it is performed (that knowledge isrequired to construct an a priori work flow).

Therefore, knowledge workers are at present stuck with divergent andunreconciled methods of work flow, which neither individually, norcollectively, provide a workable solution. As a result, workersexperience “information overload” as they attempt to manually executework flow, as they attempt to integrate file versions forked andscattered across hard drives distributed via e-mail.

The invention reconciles these deficiencies and introduces a newparadigm for collaborative information management.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention a system and method for maximizingcollaborative productivity of knowledge workers is provided. The systemand method may include at least one component to logically decentralizea collaborative information process of knowledge workers, to logicallycentralize a collaborative information product of knowledge workers, andto continuously reconcile the decentralized collaborative informationprocess and the centralized collaborative information product.

In an aspect of the invention a computer program, system, and method formaximizing collaborative productivity of knowledge workers is provided.The computer program, system and method may include at least onecomponent to logically decentralize a collaborative information processof knowledge workers, to logically centralize a collaborativeinformation product of knowledge workers, and to continuously reconcilethe decentralized collaborative information process and the centralizedcollaborative information product.

In another aspect of the invention a complex data medium is provided.The medium may include a means for capturing relational continuityacross user work, servers, and networks.

In another aspect of the invention a system, method and computer programof data evolution is provided. The system, method and computer programmay include a mechanism and process of unifying change and state withina temporal and relational complex data medium.

In another aspect of the invention an information system, method, andcomputer program is provided. The system, method, and computer programinclude an information process that may deliver users the relationalevolution and context of data in real-time.

In another aspect of the invention a method, system, and computerprogram of access evolution is provided. The method, system, andcomputer program may include a means of derived access and a means ofevolving access. The system may provide temporal continuity in the“complex data medium” (CDM) and collaborative work flow.

In another aspect of the invention a method, system, and computerprogram of a dynamic view is provided. The method, system, and computerprogram may include a mechanism and process for integrating, mapping,and synchronizing a dynamic view.

In another aspect of the invention a network application architecture,system, and computer program is provided. The architecture, system, andcomputer program may include an XML view and context bar. Theapplication may be driven bi-directionally by the system and user, whichmay create a network dynamic among users through system applications.

In another aspect of the invention a unified system, method, andcomputer program of e-mail and shared file management is provided. Thesystem, method, and computer program may provide a natural mechanism forallowing individual/group collaboration while maintaining data in acontinuous and integrated form.

In another aspect of the invention a unified system, method, andcomputer program of serial and parallel work flow is provided. Theunified system, method, and computer program may provide continuouscollaboration among users over time and at the same time.

In another aspect of the invention a unified system, method, andcomputer program of synchronous and asynchronous collaboration isprovided. The system, method, and computer program may include a meansof reconciling e-mail and instant messaging.

In another aspect of the invention a method and unified system, method,and computer program of security context is provided. The system mayprovide a mechanism and process of regulating information exchange andlifecycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the environment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment showing a Venn diagram ofentities typically included in the “complex data medium” (CDM);

FIG. 3 is a logical block diagram showing components and elements of aCDM;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment showing dataevolution;

FIG. 5A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of “changing” anentity by creating a relationship;

FIG. 5B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of “changing” anentity by updating a field of the entity;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process oflinkage;

FIG. 7A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process ofexpansion/granularization;

FIG. 7B is a flow chart of an illustrative embodiment showing steps ofthe process of expansion/granularization;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process ofexpansion/granularization;

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of compilinga unique view for a user;

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a process of parallel accessevolution;

FIG. 11A is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow;

FIG. 11B is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow;

FIG. 11C is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow;

FIG. 11D is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment showing a process of serialaccess evolution;

FIG. 13A is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of serialworkflow;

FIG. 13B is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of serialworkflow;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing the steps by which theaccess group of an access control may be expanded;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of informationdelivery;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of the user'sresponse to information;

FIG. 17A is a function block diagram of an embodiment showing mixedserial/parallel work flow;

FIG. 17B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing mixed serial/parallelwork flow;

FIG. 18A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the processof unified synchronous/asynchronous messaging;

FIG. 18B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the processof unified synchronous/asynchronous messaging;

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of theinformation lifecycle;

FIG. 20 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of in an instanceof automation;

FIG. 21 is an illustration showing a centralized and decentralizeddichotomy;

FIG. 22A is an illustration of a process of reconciling centralizationand decentralization;

FIG. 22B is a flowchart of an embodiment illustratively showing steps inthe collaborative cycle;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of creatingderived for a group of recipients;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of creatingderived access through e-mail;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of creatingderived access to a complex data structure;

FIG. 26 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps in the process ofparallel work flow among users working in a shared document, and

FIG. 27 is a flow chart of an embodiment illustratively showing steps ofthe application context bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Complex Data Medium

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the environment of theinvention, generally denoted by reference numeral 100. However, one ofordinary skill in the art would recognize that the invention may be usedin other environments. The environment 100 includes a server 105 havingan associated database 110 and a plurality of clients 115 (a, b, c),130, and 135. Further, the environment includes network 120, which maybe a local area network (LAN), wide-area network (WAN), or othernetwork. The Internet 125 interconnects network 120 with the client 130and the peer 135, which also may have a database 140.

The server 105 and associated database 110 may together persist andmanage information and data. The server 105 and database 110 may existin other variations, as one skilled in the art would recognize. Theserver may support different network applications (e.g., for example,word processor, enterprise applications, data base applications, or thelike). The server 105/135 typically contains the set of data andinformation accessed by the client. The clients 115/130/135 typicallyprovide the interface through which users (knowledge workers) access anetwork application. The client may also store and execute softwarebelonging to the network application (e.g., for example, thick clientapplications, such as word processors) or may also provide theapplication through a thin client interface (e.g., for example, theinternet browser, terminal services). Client firmware include the PC orthin web client.

The Internet 125 may connect remote clients and peers to the network120. The remote client may access the network 120 through securitymechanisms, including a firewall and virtual private network (VPN). Thepeer 135 is typically both a server and a client, including the database140, a server/client 135 within a in a single unit (e.g., a laptop,having a database stored on its local hard drive, the server stored andexecuted locally, and network applications stored and executed locally).Servers 105 and 135 are typically called “peers” when they are connectedby Internet 125 and network 120. As peers, servers 105 and 135 mayjointly manage the “data environment”.

The network application is typically driven by both the server and user,enabling bi-directional managed information and implicit collaborationamong users, as described further below.

The CDM 145 may logically exist across one or more physical datarepositories. (may physically reside but is logically one thing) The CDMmay be present and pervasive throughout the entire network. The CDM ispervasive as servers execute the method of information, pushing dataacross the network (e.g., into user view), making it pervasive. The datais complete and self describing within a continuum. Encompassing theentire network and across users, networks, system data, time.

Complex Data Medium

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment showing a Venn diagram ofentities typically included in the CDM. The diagram shows the set ofentities 200 as containing the set of relationships 205 and the set offorms 210. The form (belonging to set 210) typically describes a“complex data structure”. Typically, the form may itself be a complexdata structure defining the general structure of a form's “instance”.For example, a document form may be a complex data structure whichdefines a document instance as containing a set of subdocuments. Theform typically defines both a set of “fields” contained by an instanceof the form and a set of “elements” contained by a form instance.

The set of fields typically comprises a k-tuple of data components eachhaving a textual identifier. A field is typically defined as containingdata of a given type, including binary (e.g., an application image),boolean, date/time, decimal, globally unique identifier (GUID), integer,reference, string, time span, XML (Extensible Markup Language), or thelike. Each field may be considered an “attribute” or “property” of aform's instance.

The set of elements typically comprises the hierarchy of elementscontained by a form. An element typically defines the form of aninstance as it is contained within the hierarchy. The element istypically contained by the root form or another element belonging to thehierarchy. Elements may be used in combination to define the form of acomplex data structure. For example, a “subdocument” element of the“document” form may allow or require a document instance to contain a“subdocument”. The element may impose further restrictions on the“content model” of the form, such as the number of element occurrencesallowed in an instance of the form. The structure of a form may includecertain “groups”, such as choice and sequence, which allow the user tofurther specify the content model.

The CDM includes form derivation, which may allow the structure of oneform to derive one or more other forms. In certain aspects, thederivation structure of the CDM may be analogous to concepts of theobject-oriented programming model (OOP). Derivation typically allows aform to inherit fields and elements of each base form. For example, aform typically includes its fields and elements plus the fields andelements of its base form(s). The relationship may also be specified,allowing an element of a form to override (or replace) an elementbelonging to a base form.

The structure of an entity may typically be defined by a form. The formof an entity typically includes a globally unique identifier GUID field(identified as “Entity:UID”), enabling continuity of the CDM acrossnetworks, including the Internet.

As FIG. 2 illustrates, the relationship is typically a kind of entity(deriving the form of the entity), since the set of relationships 205may belong to the set of entities 200. As FIG. 2 also illustrates, theform is typically a kind of entity (deriving the form of the entity),since the set of forms 210 may belong to the set of entities 200. Inthis way, the CDM is self-describing, since the complex data structuredefining a form and the complex data structure of a form's instance(e.g. a document instance) may both exist within a common structure, theCDM.

The process of building up a form typically involves building a new formout of existing ones. At the beginning of the process, the usertypically combines primitive types that may be built into the system(e.g., for example, integer or string). The system database typicallyhas tables corresponding to each element of the “System:Forms”,“System:Elements”, “System:Fields” (and other elements of the form),since each instance is typically itself an entity. Therefore, creating anew form typically results in a new instance of a Form entity (typicallystored as a record in the “System:Forms” table), as well as additionalElement entities that may be contained by the Form (typically stored asrecords in the “System:Elements” table), as well as additional Fieldentities that may be contained by the Form (typically stored as recordsin the “System:Fields” table), as well as other entities that may becontained by the form structure (e.g., for example, including thecontent groupings Choice and Sequence), as well as containmentrelationships typically creating the complex data structure of a form(typically stored as records in the System:Containment” table), as wellas any base relationships that may connect the form entity with baseforms or form elements with base elements (typically stored as a recordin the “System:Base” table), and so on.

Creating a new form typically also prompts the system to create thedatabase table that may contain entity instances of the form. A databasetable typically embodies the entity instance of a form. The databasetable typically comprises a set of columns corresponding to each fieldof the form. The database table is typically automatically created bythe system when the new form is defined (e.g., for example, when thecomplex data structure of a form and elements is created). The table'sname typically adopts the qualified name of the form (e.g., for example,“Systern:FormName”). An entity instance of the form may then becontained as a record in the table corresponding to the form. Elementsof an the instance of a form instance are typically connected to theinstance of a form by containment relationships. For example, acontainment relationship may connect a document instance (whose form isdocument) with its nested subdocument(s) (which may be defined aselement(s) of the document's form).

The CDM comprises a graph/network of entities and relationships. Theentity may be an anchor of reference, or relationship target (therelationship may be implemented as an entity subtype). The entity mayhave a set of properties/fields/attributes. The relationship may be ak-tuple, wherein each member may be a reference to a target entity or aliteral value. The meaning of an entity may typically be defined byrelationships connecting it with other entities. To this extent, as anentity may be defined vis-à-vis other entities, the relationshipsdefines both meaning and context of the entity.

Data Evolution

The CDM may be an evolving and temporal medium. The medium reconcileschange and state. The entity may typically be the unit of state. Therelationship may typically be a unit of change and time. To the extentthat a relationship may be an entity subtype, it becomes a part of thedata state. Entities and relationships are created but are notnecessarily destroyed; they may be immutable and cumulative.

The “process of change” or “data evolution” in the CDM may be largelydriven by the addition/negation of relationships. For example, an entitytypically changes when a relationship is added for which it is a membertarget/reference. In this exemplary case, the relationship is thechange, and the target entity, is that which is changed. The entity mayalso be considered as changing by transitive association with otherentities, through association with any entity belonging to the samegraph (with which the entity is associated). The process of change inthe CDM may also be driven by the creation/addition of entities.

The relationship may record the time at which it is added to the graph.At the conclusion of a relationship between entities, a relationship maybe negated. Negation is the additive inverse of creating a relationship,effectively canceling out a relationship, while not necessarily deletingit (an embodiment may structure negation as a property containing thetime at which negation occurs). If each relationship is considered aterm, and addition/negation the term's sign (positive or negative), thenthe state of an entity at time ‘t’ may be considered the sum of allrelationships up to time ‘t’. In other words, summing change yieldsstate. This may be considered the relational algebra. This captures thenotion of an “evolving data system”.

FIG. 3 is a logical block diagram showing components and elements of aCDM, generally denoted by reference numeral 300. The CDM encompasses,but not limited to, system data 305, access controls 310, user data 315,time 320, and networks 325. The CDM unifies and integrates at leastthese various aspects.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment showing “dataevolution”, starting at step 400. By way of example, FIG. 4illustratively shows the process of temporal, “data evolution” in theCDM of a folder as it changes over the course of a week. According tothis example, on Sunday, folder 400, document 420, document 425, anddocument 430 exist as unrelated entities. On Monday, the document 420 is“inserted” in the folder 400 via the containment relationship 405. OnTuesday, the document 425 is inserted in folder 400 via the containmentrelationship 410. On Wednesday, the document 430 is inserted in folder400 via the containment relationship 415. In this case, eachrelationship stores the time at which it was “added” to the CDM. As FIG.4 depicts, the folder 400 “evolves” over the cited period throughrelationships, which capture both the change and state of the foldersystem (whose root is folder 400). It is said that Folder 400 “changes”vis-à-vis documents 420, 425, and 430 through relationships 405, 410,and 415.

If on Thursday, document 430 is removed from folder 400, therelationship 415 is not necessarily deleted. Rather, the negated bit ofthe relationship 415 is changed from its default value (false) to true.To integrate the current state of the folder 400, the system may treateach relationship/entity pair in a way analogous to algebra, such thatthe current “sum” of folder 400 is the document 420+document425+document 430−document 430, or by canceling out the negated document430, document 420+document 425 (or the set {document 420, document425}). Note that neither Document 430 nor Relationship 415 has beendeleted from the CDM following the “removal” of Document 430. To computethe state of the folder 400 immediately preceding the negation ofDocument 430, the system “sums” the previous set of terms (not including“−document 430”) arriving at document 420+document 425+document 430 (orthe set {document 420, document 425, document 430}). One of ordinaryskill in the art would recognize that the example of FIG. 4 is notlimiting, and in fact, may easily include other varying scenarios whichmay be very complex.

FIG. 5A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of “changing” anentity by creating a relationship, starting at 500. FIG. 5A (as well asall flowcharts herein) may equally represent high-level block diagramsof components of the invention implementing the steps thereof. The stepsof FIG. 5A (as well as all flowcharts herein) may be implemented oncomputer program code in combination with the appropriate hardware. Thiscomputer program code may be stored on storage media such as a diskette,hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or tape, as well as a memory storage deviceor collection of memory storage devices such as, for example, read-onlymemory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM). Additionally, the computerprogram code can be transferred to a workstation over the Internet orsome other type of network.

Continuing with FIG. 5A, at step 505, an actor may choose a set ofentities to relate. For example, the actor may choose to instruct thesystem to insert a document in a given folder. At step 510, the actormay instruct the system to insert the containment relationship linkingthe folder as containing entity (parent) and the document as thecontained entity (child). If this action is allowed, it causes a“change” to the folder entity. At step 515, the process ends.

FIG. 5B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of “changing” anentity by updating a field of the entity, starting at 530. At step 535,an actor may choose the entity and field to update. For example, theactor may choose to instruct the system to update the field “name” of adocument entity. At step 540, the actor may instruct the system toupdate the given field with a given value. If this action is allowed, itcauses the entity's field to update. At step 545, the process ends.

Reconciling Physical Centralization & Decentralization

Prior to the invention, data systems fall under several categories ofphysical data location. The client Client-Server method is centralized,serving data from a central server. The peer-to-peer (P2P) mechanism isdecentralized, replicating or sharing data across a distributed array ofdata storage systems.

The invention may reconcile physical data centralization &decentralization by including a method of identifying entities by aglobally unique identifier. Unlike the World Wide Web (prior to theinvention), the entity's unique identifier (UID) is not typically basedon the data's physical location. Rather, the UID may generated randomlywith global uniqueness (for example, an embodiment may be theSystem.Guid.New( ) method included in Microsoft's .NET framework). Eachentity may then be identified by its associated UID (an embodiment mayinclude UID as a field in the “form” definition of the entity).

The invention may provide for essentially any system (e.g., a PC or aServer) to become a system site. System sites may persist and managedata and participate in a distributed P2P configuration (decentralized).That site may simultaneously assume the role of server or client in the(centralized) client-server configuration (wherein the client accessesdata remotely managed by a server).

As a result, the invention may decouple the logical structure from thephysical structure (i.e., location) of data. This allows the platform toautomate, fully, the physical placement of data and itsreplication/synchronization. The manner of dataplacement/replication/synchronization may be optimized by the system onthe basis of one or more:

-   -   (a) Security considerations: The system may hold data behind a        firewall for purposes of security, or establish one, trusted        server as the access point for employees accessing data        remotely.    -   (b) Efficiency considerations: The system may replicate and        synchronize data across multiple platform data sites, to reduce        latency and guarantee quality of service (QoS). The system may        execute QoS constraints specified by the administrator or        automatically determined by a user work load requirements.    -   (c) On-line, Off-line: The system may replicate data on sites        which are expected to go off line. For example, the system may        automatically replicate data onto a user's laptop (participating        as a system site), so the user has access to files when        disconnected from the network.

The Process of Complexity and Data Continuum

The invention establishes and provides a “process of complexity”. Theprocess may be driven by a computer managed environment (the“environment”, “operating environment”, “network operating system”,“system”, “platform”, or “platform environment”) in which data andinformation consumers (“actors”) participate (receive, process, andcreate information/data) in CDM managed by the environment.

The invention defines complexity as relational density in a datastructure. A function of the system, according to the invention, may beto increase data complexity, on the basis that data manageability is afunction of complexity. The process of complexity may have the effect ofcreating a “data continuum” in the CDM. The process of complexity mayoccur through following operations, including linkage,expansion/granularization, and contraction/unification (contraction andexpansion may considered symmetric elements of the process ofcomplexity). These operations have the effect of increasing complexityand continuity of a given CDM, for example:

Linkage:

Relational linkage includes the process of creating new relationships.The effect of linkage includes driving information and data valuetransfer, since relationships may serve as entity “attractors”. That is,the effect of linkage includes maximizing the visibility of entities ofperceived value, while minimizing the visibility of little perceivedvalue. Linkage adds new relationships to the information network,increasing relational density. Linkage may drive information transfer,as relationships serve as entity “attractors”. Linkage promotes entitiesof value, and eliminates entities of little value over time. Linkage mayultimately be a process of contraction, increasingly collapsing thespace upon itself as a data continuum.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process oflinkage, starting at step 600. At step 605, the user may select multipleentities to link relationally. At step 610, the user may create arelationship, assigning each selected entity a “role” in therelationship. For example, the user may select a folder entity and adocument entity and create a containment relationship linking eachentity as parent and child (their role names), respectively. At step615, the process ends.

Entity Expansion/Granularization:

Entity “expansion” or “granularization” includes the process ofincreasing the number of entities by subdividing an object/concept (suchas, for example, labor, or a document, or the like) as multipleentities, increasing the potential linkage (and thereby increasing therelational density over time). For example, a user may subdivide adocument as a collection of one hundred documents, each serving as asite for relationships. Granularization increases the precision ofinformation. Granularization is also a logical extension of theevolution of thoughts and ideas.

FIG. 7A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process ofexpansion/granularization, starting at step 700. At step 705, the usermay select an entity A. In step 710, the user may create an entity B. Atstep 720, the user may insert entity B as a nested/contained element ofentity A (through a containment relationship). At step 720, the processends.

FIG. 7B is a flow chart of an illustrative embodiment showing steps ofthe process of expansion/granularization, starting at step 750. At step755, the user selects subsection S of document D. At step 760, the usercreates a subdocument entity M containing the content of subsection S(as a substitute for subsection S). At step 765, the user insertssubdocument M as a nested/contained element of document D. At step 770,the process ends. This example shows expansion/granularization bydividing the document into multiple logical components.

Entity Contraction/Unification:

Unification, according to the invention, includes the process of theentity contracting, or collapsing upon itself. This may occur asmultiple entities are combined as one. For example, if attorneysdiscover that several legal documents serve the same function, they maysubstitute the group of documents with a single instance. Unificationincludes the effect of increasing the data continuity.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the process ofunification/contraction, starting at step 800. At step 805, the user mayselect an entity A. In step 810, The user may substitute an entity forthe plurality of entities. At step 820, the process ends. When the user“substitutes” an entity A for a plurality of entities, the relationshipslinking the plurality of entities are typically remapped to the entityA. This remapping causes the unification of entities.

The process of complexity may substantially contribute to the formationof a “data continuum”. Prior to the invention, the simple structure ofexisting data systems fragments and dis-integrates data (for example,file copies, versions, messages, stand-alone data stores, networks). Theinvention allows the complex medium to evolve as a network ofinformation that typically becomes (with increasing continuity)increasingly consistent, complete, correct, self-describing, and closed(engulfing network externalities). The process may also include theeffect of eliminating data inconsistency and redundancy.

An aspect of the “data continuum” is its effect on productivity. Thecontinuum includes the effect of driving implicit collaboration amongknowledge workers; a dimensional “force feedback”, induced by the“intersection” of information product and process. For example, as userswork within the same space, the intersection of data throughrelationships may force the alignment and normalization of theirindividual processes and work product, dramatically increasingproductivity.

Access Evolution

An “evolving access” model provided by the invention may allow “actors”(e.g. users, groups, components, organizational units) to gain access todata and information through “access derivation”. “Access derivation”typically includes a hierarchy along which access permission is createdand flows/evolves. Each node in the hierarchy may be an “accesscontrol”, providing an actor (e.g., user) access to a set of entities(the “access group”). An access control may “derive” access through arelationship connecting to a “base” access control. An embodiment of theinvention may create the system as the root actor in the hierarchy ofderived access.

Access derivation typically includes a process of extension. Forexample, a user A may extend his/her access to another users/group B.User B may in turn extend access to other users/groups, if the user Aset a transfer bit allowing her to do so. The bits the user A may haveset include “change”, “manage”, “evolving”, “transfer”:

-   -   Change: Specifies whether the consumer is allowed to change an        entity belonging to the access group.    -   Manage Access: Specifies whether the consumer is allowed to gain        exclusive access of one or all members of the access group (e.g.        the consumer gets an “exclusion” on entity A).    -   Evolving Access: Specifies whether the consumer receives change        from the base    -   Transfer: Specifies whether the user is allowed to extend        access, creating derived access controls        The derivation hierarchy may exist as a data structure within        the CDM (as a part of the “data continuum”) and may be        constructed as a set of the following entities and        relationships:    -   Access Control (entity): The access control entity, including in        its form a base access control, flags/bits specifying access        permissions, and the actor to which access may be granted.    -   Consumer (relationship): The consumer relationship connects the        entity with access control (creating the link between consumed        entity and consuming actor/organizational unit).    -   Base (relationship): Creates the link of derivation between the        base access control and derived access control.

Knowledge work is largely a process of change. The flow of changeincludes two forms: in parallel and serially. Serial work flow includesthe staged transfer of change along a linear path, i.e., from one spaceto the next. Parallel work flow includes the transfer of change within aspace (typically among members of the space).

The invention provides a method of reconciling/unifying serial andparallel workflow. Such unification includes an evolving access controlmodel (or “evolving access”) built within the CDM. The method ofunification includes the coupling of evolving access and evolving data.Members of an information space participate in parallel work flow as theenvironment automatically propagates work among member views inreal-time. Users and groups sequence work (staging information flow) inan automated process of serial work flow. The following sectionsdescribe embodiments that perform parallel and serial work flow.

Access may evolve parallel and serially. Parallel evolution may occur asmembers of an information space create change (the product of work).Those changes (relationships with attached entities) may thenautomatically become available to other members of the space, and theirviews continuously updated in real-time. The space in which parallelevolution occurs may be called an “information space”, since a user mayshare access to all change made in the information space. Serialevolution may occur as members “complete” work they have been assignedor have obtained by derived access. Those changes made by the member,which typically belong to the access group of the member's accesscontrol, may then automatically be transferred to base access controlsand derived access controls according to the ‘exclusion’ and ‘evolving’bit. The ‘exclusion’ bit typically prevents the flow of change to a baseaccess control until the work is completed (when the exclusion bit isreset). However, change typically continues to flow to derived accesscontrols during that period (or when the exclusion bit is false) if the‘evolving’ bit of those derived access controls is set as true.

A recursive mechanism enables combinations of serial and parallel workflow that are powerfully complex, while systematically automated by theinvention.

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a process of parallel accessevolution. By way of example, a user A, having access to an entitythrough access control (AC_(A)) 1005, creates derived access for threeindividuals (B, C, and D). Those individuals (i.e., B, C, and D) obtainaccess through access controls 1010 (AC_(B)), 1015 (AC_(C)), and 1020(AC_(D)), which each derive access control 1005. User B gains access tothe entity through access control 1010. User C gains access to theentity through access control 1015. User D gains access to the entitythrough access control 1020. User A may specify that access controls1010, 1015, and 1020 have “evolving” access. The four users then belongto an information space including access controls 1005, 1010, 1015,1020, since every change made by any given user of the group (A,B,C,D)immediately becomes available to the other three. The flow or evolutionof access in this example may occur as follows: user B makes a change tothe entity through access control 1010. Because no exclusion may existfor access control 1010 on the given entity, the change may evolve itsderived access control 1005. When the access group of access control1005 expands to include the user B's change, the system checks whetherderived access controls “evolve”. Since user A set access controls 1015and 1020 as evolving (“evolve” bit), the access group of access controls1015 and 1020 may immediately expand to include user B's, change. Theviews of user A, C, D may immediately update to include user B's change,illustrating parallel work flow.

FIG. 11A is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow, starting at step 1100. At step 1105, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for user B. At step 1110, user B may change entity E.At step 1115, user A may automatically receive B's change to entity E.The change is typically received in real-time by the dynamic viewthrough the process of access and data evolution. The view willtypically automatically update to reflect the change. At step 1120, theprocess ends.

FIG. 11B is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow, starting at step 1125. At step 1130, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for group (organizational unit) B. At step 1135, amember C of group B may change entity E. At step 1140, user A andmembers of group B may automatically receive C's change to entity E.Members of a group (B) typically receive any access granted to the group(B). At step 1145, the process ends.

FIG. 11C is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow, starting at 1155. At step 1160, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for users B and C with evolving and change access. Atstep 1165, either user A, B, or C may change entity E. At step 1170, theother two users may receive the change to entity E. Users B and C maytypically receive each other's change since access mayfreely/bi-directionally evolves in the three containing access controlsA, B, C. For example, when B makes a change, the change typicallyexpands the access group of the derived access control (X), since nomanaged exclusion is held by access control B in the example. Accesscontrol C would then typically evolve to include the change since the‘evolving’ bit of access control C is true in this example, thusdemonstrating parallel work flow. At step 1175, the process ends.

FIG. 11D is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of parallelworkflow, starting at 1180. At step 1185, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for user B with manage/change access. At step 1190,user B may obtain exclusive/manage access. At step 1195, user B maycreate derived access of entity E for user A without manage/changeaccess. At step 1197, user B may change entity E. At step 1198, user Amay receive B's change to entity E, but cannot change entity E At step.In this example of parallel workflow, the recipient of derived access toan entity may obtain exclusive access of the entity, which may typicallydeny other users (e.g. user A) evolving access to the entity. But inthis example, the user may provide read-only access back to user A (e.g.for purposes of review by user A), which may demonstrate parallelworkflow. At step 1199, the process ends.

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment showing a process of serialaccess evolution. By way of example, a user A, having access to anentity through access control 1205, creates derived access for user Bthrough access control 1210 (deriving access control 1205). User Aspecifies that user B through access control 1210 has “manage” access.Upon receiving access, user B uses manage access to gain exclusiveaccess (an exclusion) of the given entity. User B then, having access toan entity through access control 1210, creates derived access for user Cthrough access control 1215 (deriving access control 1210). User Bspecifies that user C through access control 1215 has “manage” access.Upon receiving access, user C uses manage access to gain exclusiveaccess (an exclusion) of the given entity. User C then may change thegiven entity. Since an exclusion exists on the given entity, the changedoes not immediately evolve, expanding access by controls 1210 and 1205.Rather, the user C may continue to make change until work is completed,at which point the user C stops managing the entity (releasing theexclusion). At this point, the system may automatically expand theaccess of control 1210 through serial work flow, including all changemade by user C to the given entity. The access control's access groupmay be “expanded” to include all entities created by user C in thecourse of doing work. However, in the same way, access control 1205 doesnot immediately expand, since an exclusion still exists on the givenentity by access control 1210. Only after user B has reviewed/altereduser C's work (which was tasked to user C) does user B release themanage exclusion, at which point access control 1205 expands to includethe serial effort (sum change) of users C and B, illustrating serialwork flow.

FIG. 13A is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of serialworkflow, starting at 1300. At step 1305, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for user B with manage/change access. At step 1310,user B may obtain exclusive/manage access. At step 1315, user B maychange entity E. At step 1320, user B may complete/end exclusive/manageaccess. The user may “complete” manage access by releasing theexclusion. At step 1325, user A may automatically receive B's change toentity E. The relation change is typically received in real-time. Atstep 1330, the process ends.

FIG. 13B is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of serialworkflow, starting at 1340. At step 1345, user A may create derivedaccess of entity E for user B with manage/change access. At step 1350,user B may granularize an entity, expanding the entity into a collectionof multiple entities (from a conceptual standpoint). For example, adocument may be “subdivided” as a set of contained subdocuments. At step1355, user A may automatically receive structural change to the entity(e.g., the user may receive an updated view showing thegranularization). At step 1360, user B may obtain exclusive/manageaccess of the new granular subentities of the entity (e.g. asubdocument). At step 1365, user B may change the granular subentity. Atstep 1370, user B may release exclusive manage access of the granularsubentity. At step 1375, user A may automatically receive an updatedview of the subdocument. At step 1380, the process ends.

Creating change (in the form of new entities) through derived access mayautomatically expand the access group (under the access control used tomake the change). FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing thesteps by which the access group of an access control may be expanded,starting with step 1400. In step 1405, the user may create a new entityE through access control A. At step 1410, the system may automaticallyexpand the access group (G) of access control (A) to include entity E.For example, if user changes entity Y by first creating and then“inserting” entity E (via a containment relationship R also createdthrough access control A), the system may typically expand the accessgroup to include both relationship R and entity E. At step 1420, theprocess ends.

Process of Information

The personal computer (PC) is often considered the domain of knowledgework, which is complex. The distinction between structured andunstructured remains because no data structure has yet achieved therequisite complexity to store the complex product of knowledge work.While the relational database is structured, its structure is too simpleto contain the product of knowledge work (“simple data medium”). It isalso static relational structure, vs. the dynamic relational structurethat may capture the product of knowledge work. Existing (simple) datasystems may contain “unmanaged information”, but do not include “managedinformation”. An example of managed information is actual relationshipsstored in the data medium which capture the relational context andmeaning of data.

The invention establishes “context” as the relational component of datathat may capture and convey contextual information. This is the meaningof “information-bearing data”. Prior to the invention, such contextualdata is not typically stored; it is remembered by knowledge workers andcommunicated by explicit means of information, such as, for example,e-mail.

An aspect of the invention includes a computer managed “complex datamedium” (CDM), a network of information-bearing data. The inventiondramatically increases productivity on the basis of the relationalcomplexity that becomes the informational component of data. Such“complexity” becomes the relational data “context” of data content. Theinvention maintains “relationships” (or “managed relationships”) as thevehicle of complexity, and by extension, managed information. Theinvention serves to increase data complexity through interaction bymultiple knowledge workers within a common information space. Theinvention fosters the cumulative effect of complex data, that is,compound value creation through a scalable information process.

The invention provides an “information system” (the “platform” or“platform environment”) as a mechanism for managing and deliveringstored information. The information system establishes “implicitinformation” as the catalyst of collaborative knowledge work. Implicitinformation includes relationships delivered to the user as they arecreated. For example, when a user inserts a document into a folder, anew containment relationship typically connects the parent folder withchild document. The new relationship may be delivered as implicitinformation to any user “consuming” (e.g., viewing, accessing, updating,or the like) the folder, whose view of the folder is updated. When auser sends e-mail within the information system, an access relationshipmay be created associating the message and recipient. The informationsystem may deliver implicit information when it notifies the recipientof the new message received.

Prior to the invention, knowledge workers communicate information andcoordinate the process of knowledge through direct and explicit means ofinformation. The interaction is direct, worker-to-worker. However, theinvention provides indirect coordination (worker-“informationsystem”-worker) of knowledge workers through implicit information. As aresult, to work in the complex data medium is to collaborate. Forexample, since users share a common information space, relationshipscreated by one user may impact the process of another user, hencealigning their view of the information product, or allowing them tocollaborate implicitly. Or, since user action is induced by his view ofthe information product—by allowing users to occupy the same informationspace, they become aligned implicitly in their collaboration.Information transfer is the “consumption” of relational informationcreated by other users, allowing the alignment and efficientcollaboration to exist between users. By making information transfer animplicit/inherent part of working with the CDM, the inventionestablishes knowledge work as inherently and systematicallycollaborative. Managed information becomes the catalyst ofcollaboration, product coherency, efficient process coordination, andorganizational productivity.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of informationdelivery (a component of the process of information), starting at 1500.At step 1505, the user application may begin to “consume” an entity E.For example, the user may select, browse, or begin to edit the entity.The “consumer” may be considered the recipient of the process ofinformation. At step 1510, the system may discover relationshipsattached to entity E. At step 1515, if the system discovers arelationship (including any new or existing relationship), it typicallyproceed to step 1520; otherwise, it typically returns to step 1410. Forexample, the system may discover a relationship (or relationships)associating a document consumed by the user with a comment/message,providing this comment/message as relational information. 1510. At step1525, the system may notify the user application that a new relationshipis attached to entity. The system typically provides this notificationin real-time or near real-time. The system typically “pushes”information to the consumer (e.g., for example, the application/user).At step 1525, a parallel process (marked by a dotted line) mayautomatically return to step 1510, awaiting further relationalinformation. At step 1530, the user application may automatically updatethe data view of entity ‘E’ to include the new relationship. At step1535, the process ends. An actor may also “discover” relationalinformation through a mechanism providing relationships connected to agiven entity. The invention include this form of discovery as acomponent of the information process. For example, a user may instructthe system to discover relationships connected to a certain entity (andmay apply parameters to the search). The user may receive back a set ofrelationships, for example, showing every folder which contains thespecified document through a containment relationship.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of the user'sresponse to information (a component of the process of information),starting at 1600. At step 1605, the user may receive relationalinformation delivered by the system. For example, the user may receivecontextual information showing the working subdocument as associatedwith a set of notes recorded as metadata (describing the meaning of thesubdocument). At step 1610, the user may process the information. Atstep 1615, the user may act or work in response to the information(including browsing target entities of relational information). On thebasis of information provided (as a component of the informationprocess), the user may typically become more aligned with the collectiveproduct and process of collaborative knowledge work. As a result, thesystem may substantially increase the productivity of knowledge workers.The process ends at step 1620.

Network Application Rearchitecture

The invention provides for a computer application (such as, for example,a word processor) to evolve from a unidirectional (one-way) to abidirectional (two-way) data processor. The application may become abidirectional medium since it is driven by both the user and theplatform. Applications currently reach into a platform through theplatform's application programming interface (API) (pull). However, theinvention establishes the bidirectional channel, such that platform mayalso reach into the application, delivering information/direction(push). As such, the platform API may become a bidirectional dataenvironment. In this way, the environment allows, in effect, the work ofall users to reach into the environment of any single user.

An embodiment of the bidirectional interface may include the dynamicview. An embodiment of the dynamic view may be an XML projection (“XMLView”) of the CDM that. The XML View is typically consumed by anapplication. The XML View may present a flat, hierarchical projection ofrelational data of the CDM. The XML View may use the document objectmodel (DOM) as a universal representation for the XML View. The XML Viewtypically maps entities to XML Elements and the relationships to theparent/child containment structure. The view is typically automaticallyintegrated by the environment along a set of axes (such as containmentand time), typically as a dynamic view, and is typically synchronizedwith the CDM real-time. The XML View may provide an efficient processcommunication with the server by sending incremental updates betweenbulk updates. For example, if a user changes element E in the Xmlelement hierarchy of an XML View, the XML View class (or system) maydetermine which entity the element corresponds to. If the user hascreated a new relationship with the given entity, the XML View/systemmay send an incremental update in the form of a message, which mayindicate the kind of relationship created and entities connected by therelationship. If the user updates the data of an entity (e.g., forexample, a field), the XML View/system may send an incremental update inthe form of a message, indicating the entity to update, field name, andnew field value. An embodiment of the XML View is explained more fullyin U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/455,739 entitled “Network FileSystem and Method”, which is incorporated by reference herein, in itsentirety, including the computer program listings of the appendix.

In embodiments, the relational “context bar” (or “information bar” or“side bar” or “information side bar”) may deliver contextual informationto the user in real-time. It is typically positioned as a window withinor beside the window of the application. Contextual information istypically considered relational information for entities auser/application “consumes” at any given moment (e.g., for example,entities a user is browsing, editing, selecting, working with, and soon). As the user “consumes” an entity, a relationship may be establishedbetween the entity and user, allowing the platform to deliver relationalinformation associated with the entity. For example, the user mayreceive a list of messages/comments associated with the section of adocument, see who else is editing the section, or browse its semanticweb of association. The context bar includes all tasks which apply tospecific entities consumed by the user at any given moment. For example,the task “share document” allows the user to share the document the useris currently editing with other users.

By way of example, FIG. 27 is a flow chart of an embodimentillustratively showing steps of the application context bar, starting atstep 2700. At step 2705, the user may browse or select an entity(s). Theuser may be considered as actively “consuming” the entity(s) while theentity is selected. At step 2710, the context bar may automaticallydisplay all relational context of the selected entity(s) as wellcontextual tasks applying to the entity(s) or other entities. At step2715, the user may select the task “Manage” (or any other task), gainingexclusive manage access to the entity. At step 2720, the context bar mayautomatically displays relational context showing the user as havingexclusive manage access to the entity(s). Such automatic, relational“discovery” (of contextual information or data related to entity(s)consumed by the user) and presentation is typically a component of theprocess of information. At step 2725, the process is complete.

The Dynamic View

The process of access evolution, in combination with the evolving datamedium, may fulfill the level of complexity required to support complexwork flow and dynamic interaction among knowledge workers. The processincludes relational context, which may provide users an entirelypersonal view of the information space, depending upon the groups,activities, and other information contexts of which they are a member.That is, two users may receive an entirety different view of the samedocument entity. The system includes a “dynamic view” (typically of theCDM) which is typically custom integrated for a specific user (or anyactor/consumer in the system).

By way of example, FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing anembodiment of compiling a unique view for the user. FIG. 9 illustrates afolder 900, containing folders 915 and 920 through containmentrelationships 905 and 910. Access control 930 may consume throughrelationships 925 and 935 the folders 900 and 915. Access control 945may consume through relationships 940, 950, 960 the folders 900, 915,and 920. That is, access control 945 may grant access to folder 920which is not granted by access control 930. The state may be the resultof the following scenario. For example, User A, who may have access tofolders 900 and 915 through access control 530, may create 930, createsderived access (perhaps by “attaching” folder 900 to an e-mail message)through access control 945 for user B. User A may also grant manageaccess to access control 945, user B. User B subsequently obtains anexclusive manage access (an exclusion on folder entity 900). User B then“inserts” folder 920 in folder 900 by way of the containmentrelationship 910. User A does not at that point gain access to the newlyinserted folder 920, since user B holds an exclusion on folder 900.Therefore, when users A and B view the folder 900, the system maytypically generates two separate views for each user. User A's view mayshow folder 900 as containing folder 915. User B's view may show folder900 as containing folder 915 and folder 920. In this way, each user mayreceive a dynamic view based on their typically unique set ofinformation contexts of which they are a member. When user B releasesthe exclusion, the system typically updates user A's view in real-timebased on the access evolution, which creates a new “consumer”relationship 960 connecting access control 930 and folder 920. In thisway, user B may work “ahead” of user A in time (e.g., from user A'sframe of reference) and B may sit “behind” user A in time (e.g., fromuser A's perspective), illustrating temporal continuity in the CDM,process of access evolution, and work flow.

Real-time updating provides an example of how implicit information (ormanaged information) may be consumed by an application (in this case,the file explorer). When the relationship 960 is created, the systemtypically responds to the change (in the form relationship 960) bylooking at all entities affected by the change. These entities mayinclude folder 900. The system typically then notifies the applicationconsuming folder 900 (i.e., both instances of file explorer, run byusers A and B) of the change, or relationship 960. The application mayrespond by automatically updating the view to include Folder 920.

FIG. 9 also provides an example of contextual information. As user Bholds exclusive manage access of the Folder 900, user A may receive inthe “context bar” information to the effect “user B is currentlymanaging the selected folder” when folder 900 is selected.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the integration of a dynamic view at aspecific point in time is demonstrated. To integrate the hierarchy at aspecific time, the system typically filters the containmentrelationships along the time dimension, such that only thoserelationships (and by extension, the contained entities) existing at orbefore the specified time are (typically) included in the dynamic view.FIG. 4 may illustrate the process of generating a dynamic view at time‘t’. If containment relationships 405 and 410 were created before time‘t’ and 415 after time ‘t’, the system may include in the dynamic viewof folder 400 documents 420 and 425 (via relationships 405 and 410) butwould not typically include document 430 (via relationship 415).

Generally, the dynamic view may be considered a “2D” representation(typically flat, such as XML View) and mapping of “3D” relational data(typically the CDM). The dynamic view may be further considered by itstypical process of real-time, bi-directional synchronization. Thedynamic view may be further be considered by its typical ability toreflect access evolution. The dynamic view may further be considered byits typical ability to link the information process (e.g., for example,including contextual information) to the representation (e.g., forexample, allowing a user to navigate relationships attached to entitiescontained in the view). The dynamic view my further be considered by itstypical ability to provide a standard “2D” view of relational data to anapplication.

Automation

The invention may provide “automation” as the autonomous actor in thesystem, typically comprising a computer program. The automationtypically interacts with platform in the same way an applicationinteracts with the platform (and typically interacts through the sameinterface used by an application), except that automation is typicallyself-governed and may be considered an actor in the system (comparedwith an application which typically acts on behalf of a user, where theuser is typically an actor in the system).

The invention may automatically “raise” (or load) the automation toprocess an event. For example, the system may raise the componentautomatically to process new information relating to data consumed bythe automation. The automation may be considered a “component” of thesystem. For example, a user may “automate” a semantic web, allowing theautomation to respond to interaction users have with members of thesemantic web.

The automation may receive several events, including “before change” and“after change”. These events may belong to the general interfaceprovided by the system as a component of the information process. The“before change” (or “pre change”) event typically allows automation torespond to a change before it is made. The automation may be allowed topreempt the change by throwing an exception (which is typically capturedby the platform). The “after change” (or “post change”) event typicallyallows automation to respond to a change after it is made. The beforeand after change events may be a standard element of the platform API(e.g., for example, applications may process the same events).

The platform may “manage” automation as data persisted within the CDM.When managing automation, the system typically automatically toads andterminates automation based on data the automation may be known toconsume (e.g., for example, through “consumer/access” relationships).

FIG. 20 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of in an instanceof automation, starting at 2000. At step 2005, an entity ‘E’ consumed byautomation ‘A’ may begin to change. For example, a user may have issuedthe system to create a relationship for which E is a target or haveissued the system to update data belonging to the entity. At step 2010,the system may automatically activate/raise automation A. At step 2015,automation A may receive information regarding a change in entity ‘E’(e.g., for example, pre-change). At step 2020, automation A processesthe proposed change. For example, the automation may analyze theproposed structure to maintain a constraint. At step 2025, automation Amay or may not throw an exception (which may be captured by the system).An exception may indicate that the automation suggests the system failthe change. For example, the automation may automate a constraint, whichit may seek to enforce by throwing an exception. If ‘yes’, then at step2030, the system may fail the update. At step 2035, the process ends. If‘no’, then at step 2040, the system may allow the change (the system mayalso fail the change for other reasons). At step 2045, automation A mayreceive information regarding the changed entity ‘E’ (post-change). Atstep 2050, automation A may process the change (for example, checking adata structure) and may then signal the system that processing is“complete”. At step 2055, automation A may make a change in response.For example, the automation may insert a new relationship in response,or may create information for the user who attempted to make the change(e.g., for example, providing notification). At step 2060, the systemmay automatically deactivate automation A. At step 2065, the processends.

Reconciliation

Marketplace fragmentation is largely due to polarization. A naturaltension exists along the real dimensions of knowledge work, includingcentralization/decentralization and synchronous/asynchronous, but whichthe current data paradigm is incapable of reconciling. Systems haveswung to the polar extrema of each dimension in an effort to gain auniform design. As a result, the market is fragmented among manysystems, which neither individually nor collectively provide a workablesolution. The invention reconciles the major axes of collaboration,which currently exist as a fragmented set of disparate technologies.

Information management largely lies in the reconciliation ofcentralization and decentralization. The invention enables informationmanagement by reconciling two forces of collaboration: the decentralizedinformation process and the centralized information product.

Knowledge work includes a continuous cycle of information “product” and“process”. The process of knowledge work is change, which may feed acollective information product. Product feeds process as knowledgeworkers allocate work based on their knowledge of their collective workproduct. Process may then feed product as workers execute work/change.

The process is necessarily decentralized, since knowledge work is at anymoment an individual effort. But the product is necessary centralized,as a collective and integrated work effort. Thus, reconciliation of adecentralized information process and centralized information product isa necessary element of collaboration.

FIG. 22A is an illustration of a process of reconciling centralizationand decentralization, according to the invention. The illustration showsa fundamental cycle of collaborative knowledge work, continuouslyreconciling the information process (typically through the evolvingaccess model) and information product (typically through the evolvingdata model). The cycle is substantially the basis of productivity.

FIG. 22B is a flowchart of an embodiment illustratively showing steps inthe collaborative cycle, starting at 2200. At step 2210, the user mayprocess the collective information product by consuming relational data.At step 2215, the user may perform change/work based knowledge of theprocess and product gained through relational information. At step 2215,the user may continue knowledge work, returning to step 2205. Otherwise,at step 2220, the process ends. Every knowledge worker belonging to aninformation network may simultaneously and collectively participate inthe collaborative cycle through the invention.

FIG. 21 is an illustration showing a centralized and decentralizeddichotomy. Prior to the invention, systems are divided at opposite endsof the spectrum of logical centralization and decentralization. Systemscurrently occupy logical extrema on the spectrum of collaboration.E-mail is a model of absolute decentralization. The shared file systemis a model of absolute centralization. They typically act in fundamentalopposition of one another. On one end, e-mail provides context buteliminates structure. On the other end, the shared file system providesstructure but eliminates context. As a result, the collaborative cyclehas been grossly inefficient. A void exists between pure centralizationand decentralization. The decentralized system (e.g., e-mail), typicallyoriented with a process, is shown on the left, the centralized system(e.g., shared file system), typically oriented to a product, is shown onthe right with a void between these two systems as far as collaborationis concerned.

However, the CDM, according to the invention, is sufficiently complex tocontain a process of contextual workflow (“information process”) withina single, continuous, and integrated information product repository(“information product”). The invention includes the effect of maximizingworker productivity by continuously reconciling the collaborativeprocess with a collective work product through implicit, relationalinformation. The invention may push to the user (in real-time) therelational context of entities which are “consumed” by the user's dataview at a given moment. As the user works with a given entity (e.g.,browsing or editing), the environment may present the set of informationwhich exists through relationships connecting the given entity. Thoserelationships may not only provide the entity's context, but may alsocontrol the context in which the user works with the entity.

The context controlled by relationships includes, for example, a user'sview of a given entity, control of the entity, and action taken upon theentity. Such control may include the evolving access model, which maygive two users different views of the same entity (e.g., document) basedon their role in a process of serial work flow. For example, theenvironment may display the draft version of a document to one user(e.g., who may be working on the latest set of best practices), and aprevious version of the document to another user (who needs to reviewthe working set of best practices). Another example of contextualcontrol is the “activity”, which contains set of work/change containedacross a set of files. The access constraints of the activity preventany user who is not a member of the activity from seeing or editingdocument sections/changes belonging to the activity. But, for thosemembers of the activity, the environment may display work/change inreal-time across the set of files, or allow the user to browse andreview the set of change. The context provided by relationships mayillustrate the meaning and appropriate interpretation of a given entity.For example, the activity previously illustrated also comprises a“semantic web” of association linking work/change belonging to theactivity. As a result, a user who browses the content of a documentcontaining such a change (assuming required access) is notified (e.g. ina side view) that the change was created as part of the activity, andfor its stated purpose of the activity, in association with all otherchanges belonging to the activity (which the user may browse andreview). Also associated with the change, and pushed into the users'side view, may include discussions and messages exchanged by users incourse of making the change, which allow the user to understand theexact wording of the change. If the user decides to edit the section(containing the change), the environment may automatically block otherusers from editing other members of the semantic association (protectingconsistency of the association). The mechanism ofcollaboration—reconciling centralization and decentralization—may beanalogous to the industrial revolution's assembly line, whichcontinuously reconciled the division of labor among workers andindividual stations (a decentralized process) and the integrated,collective product of their work (a centralized product). The inventionmay be considered as transferring collaborative complexity (typicallymanaged in the minds of knowledge workers) into data and datarelationships (within the managed CDM). Mitigating complexity by thismechanism may typically allow the invention to manage and enablecollaboration on a large scale (e.g., for example, enterprise-wide orinter-enterprise collaboration and knowledge management).

Network File System

The invention provides a network file system (NETFS) as a method ofcollaboration for file-oriented (or traditionally unstructured andPC-centric) knowledge work. The file system is built within the CDM. Thefile may be implemented as an entity, its structure defined by a “form”.Every entity managed by the user in the file system is of a form whichderives the file. For example, the ‘message’ and ‘folder’ and ‘activity’are typically files (deriving the file's form). The relational structureof the network file system is built using a variety of relationships,including the containment relationship, access/consumer relationship.

A mechanism of access control and sharing in NETFS includes e-mail,built directly within the network file system. Users may create derivedaccess to a message and attached files in an e-mail interface, thereby“sending” the message. The e-mail infrastructure of NETFS may beintegrated with existing client applications, such as Microsoft Outlook.Users may also access messages as files through the NETFS file explorer.

An embodiment of the explorer contains, at the root level, My Documentsand My Inbox. My Documents contains files accessed/managed by the user,providing a folder in which the user can organize his/her data. My Inboxcontains messages “sent” to the user through derived access. Whenderived access may be created, the new relational data connecting theuser with the message automatically updates the user's Inbox view.

Reconciling E-Mail & Shared File System

The invention embraces the e-mail paradigm as a powerful mechanism forcreating collaborative context. The work flow model of the inventionunifies e-mail and shared file management within a single, continuousinformation space. The invention may provide e-mail as an element of thenetwork file system, reconstituting the infrastructure of e-mail withinthe CDM/platform. Messaging becomes an integrating factor (prior to theinvention it is a “dis-integrating” factor), as users draw one anotherinto shared information spaces, which belong to the continuous CDM. Theaccess control model is able to allow a user to exchange e-mail in a waythat is consistent with the current e-mail paradigm, while synchronizingand streamlining the subsequent process in real-time.

The e-mail message may be a vehicle for creating derived access, sharingthe message and its contained file hierarchy. Contained files mayinclude submessages, for example, a reply to the entire message, or an“in line” reply to a section of a message. Contained files may alsoinclude file “attachments”. Since the folder may be implemented as afile subtype, users may exchange an entire folder system by e-mail. Bythe process of data complexity and continuity, the folder system mayremain fully synchronized and integrated regardless of how it isaccessed and updated in serial and parallel work flow.

In the same way groups organize work in a single document by multipleactivities, groups may organize internal discussions within a commonmessage. Therefore, while two users may have different views of the samediscussion, the discussion remains an integrated body of messages. Usersmay invite others into a discussion by forwarding them the messagecontaining the discussion. The e-mail “forward” in NETFS includes othermessages or files, involving users in a shared space by invite.

By way of example, FIG. 24 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing stepsof creating derived access through e-mail, starting at 2400. At step2405, the user may select a set of entities to send via e-mailattachment. At step 2410, the user may instruct the system to send theselected files as e-mail attachment. At step 2415, the system may createan empty message entity. The user may alternatively send the messagewith no attachment. At step 2420, if the user made attachments, thesystem may insert the selected attachment entities as a childrencontained by the message entity. At step 2425, the system may presentthe e-mail editing interface, allowing the user to edit the body,recipient, and other fields of the message. At step 2430, the user mayedit the message and other fields. At step 2435, the user may instructthe system to send the message. At step 2440, the system may createderived access for the message and other contained or attached entities(e.g., the set E). In creating derived access, the system may typicallyinclude in the access group the containment hierarchy of every entitybelonging to the set E. For example, attaching a folder system F tomessage M may typically include all files contained by F (e.g., forexample, the folder hierarchy) in the access group. At step 2445, thesystem may automatically established derived access for the messageentity and nested entities for recipients of the message. The system mayestablish derived access for recipients individually. The system mayestablish derived access for recipients as a group. At step 2450, theprocess ends.

The invention may include a hierarchical structure containing“organizational units” (OU's). The organizational unit typicallycontains other organizational units and users (in some implementations,the user may be considered an OU). The “group” is typically implementedas an organizational unit. Access control may designate theorganizational unit as a recipient of shared access. For example, agroup may receive shared access to an entity. Any member of the groupmay then receive access to the entity. The scope of an organizationalunit in terms of security policy typically includes its membership(typically any user or organizational it contains carries access the OUderives).

By way of example, FIG. 23 is a flowchart, of an embodiment showingsteps of creating derived access for a group of recipients, starting at2300. At step 2305, the user may select a plurality of users. At step2310, the user may assign the set of users access to one or multipleentities. At step 2315, the system may automatically take the set ofusers and create a group (a new organizational unit) containing eachassigned user (group member). At step 2320, the system may automaticallycreate derived access for the group. At step 2325, members of the groupmay automatically receive access to the entity(s) as a group. At step2330, the process ends. Prior to the invention, setting up groups forpurposes of collaboration typically involved an central, administrativeprocedure (creating a static group). The invention may thus allowknowledge workers to self-organize in groups dynamically and easilyperform group work (white preserving and remaining within a continuousand integrated data medium), as FIG. 23 may illustrate.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of an embodiment showing steps of creatingderived access to a complex data structure, starting at 2500. Creatingderived access to an entity's contained complex data structure typicallyassigns the containment hierarchy of which the entity is root as theaccess group. In other words, the entity and its descendents (containedor nested entities) may typically comprise the access group. At step2505, the user may select an entity to share with one or multiple users.At step 2510, the user may select the action “share this entity”. Forexample, the user may select a folder which contains an entire foldersystem (that folder system comprising a complex data structure). At step2515, the user may be prompted to select the set of users to receiveshared access (recipients), or the set recipients may be impliedcontextually. At step 2520, the system may typically establish derivedaccess where the entity and nested/contained entities comprise theaccess group. At step 2525, the system would then typically informrecipients of derived access (in this case, new e-mail) by the method ofrelational information. At step 2530, the process ends.

Reconciling Synchronous & Asynchronous Collaboration

The invention includes a mechanism of reconciling synchronous andasynchronous collaboration within the CDM. The mechanism is based on thetransformation from explicit to implicit information. The inventionestablishes a powerful mechanism of asynchronous informationcollaboration based on the relational structure of the CDM. Theinvention may enable asynchronous information by pushing relationalinformation that is “in context” to the user in real-time (typicallyentities consumed by the user at a given moment are “in context”). Themethod of asynchronous collaboration may then subsume synchronouscollaboration, allowing reconciliation of synchronous and asynchronouscollaboration.

The system provides “structured messaging” as a mechanism of unifyingsynchronous and asynchronous messaging. The mechanism may unify e-mail,instant messaging, and threaded discussions as a single, relationalstructure. The common container used is the “message” entity, which maybe, for example, an ordinary file.

The message may extend the file as a unified method of communicationamong workers. It may be a recursive structure enabling the Message tobecome a threaded discussion among multiple workers, eithersynchronously (e.g., as an instant message discussion) or asynchronously(e.g., as an e-mail message). The user may insert an attachment (e.g.,any file) within the body of the Message. The application may displaythe attachment in-line and/or as belonging to a set of attachments.

The mechanism of “structured messaging” may thus be hierarchical. Themechanism is described in further detail for various elements ofmessaging, including:

The existing e-mail paradigm fits and is well behaved within the unifiedstructure. The invention improves the e-mail paradigm by addingstructure to a medium which is presently flat. Whereas the inbox istypically a list of messages (i.e., prior to the invention), theinvention now includes the ability to create structure in a messagestore (such as My Inbox). The structure may be applied as, for example:A “reply” (message A) to message B inserts message A as the child ofmessage B, as though B were a folder containing a document, A “forward”(message C) of message A inserts message A as a child of message C. Afile (F) “attached” to a message (D) inserts file F as a child ofmessage D. The CDM allows and provides for a user to attach an entirefolder system (since the root folder is file). The body of a message mayalso include “in-line” comments, or messages which are related tosections of the body of the message. This allows a user to respond tosections of a message individually.

The existing instant message (IM) paradigm also fits and is well behavedwithin the unified structure. The invention improves the paradigm byallowing IM to become a part of a persisted structured (prior to theinvention, IM lacks the relational context in which to persist atransient message). As a result, the invention may allow a discussion tooccur and continue synchronously and/or asynchronously. The inventionmay also allow a member of a discussion to spawn subdiscussions. Asubdiscussion (B) of message A may be comprised of messages S1 to Sn(where n is some positive number greater than one). Each message Sx(where x is a positive integer number) may be inserted as a child ofmessage A. In this way, message A may become a discussion “thread”. Theuser view of a same-time instant messaging discussion may include aheader (showing the containing message, or discussion thread) and a listof discussion points (content of messages contained by the discussionthread).

The invention provides for establishing messaging as the “comment”mechanism in the document review process. This allows a user to insert acomment by selecting a range of document content and clicking “insertcomment”. A window or sidebar (entry point) appears, in which the usermay enter his or her comment. The comment is a message (in oneimplementation, the document contains a range object, which is containedby the message). The environment may immediately integrate the commentinto the document views of users who are also working on that document(and who have access to the message). The message may then become agroup discussion as users create submessages within the comment (bye-mail reply or instant message). The same mechanism may enable a userto select-and-reply to sections of an e-mail (e.g., in a manner similarto embedding comments between carated sections of a traditional e-mailmessage).

A structured message hierarchy may include messages created in same-timeand asynchronous format. Users may create an e-mail message in thee-mail editor for asynchronous communication, while other users maycreate a same-time discussion where the e-mail message may become adiscussion thread (each IM message becomes a child of the e-mailmessage, in the same way an e-mail reply is inserted as a child of themessage). In this way, users are able to select the appropriate medium(synchronous or asynchronous) and an associated user interface (e.g.,e-mail editor, IM discussion viewer, or other interface), while creatingan unified message space.

Therefore, whether the user selects, for example, an e-mail interface orIM interface to create a message, the environment delivers the messagein real-time (by relational association with documents or other entitieswhich other users consume). As a result, each user consuming an entityassociated with the message may respond synchronously. Or, a user mayrespond asynchronously (e.g., as he/she browses the document at a laterdate), the message automatically appearing in the relationalcontext/side bar (assuming read access). By relating messages to otherentities, communication among workers becomes implicit.

FIG. 18A is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the processof unified synchronous/asynchronous messaging, starting at step 1800. Atstep 1805, user A may send user B an e-mail message M by accessderivation. At step 1810, user B may receive the message. At step 1815,B may reply to the message, where the reply is typically inserted asnested element of the message M. At step 1820, user A typically receivesthe reply as relational information. At step 1825, the system informsrecipients through the relational data connecting recipient and accesscontrol. At step 1830, the process ends.

FIG. 18B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of the processof unified synchronous/asynchronous messaging, starting at step 1840. Atstep 1845, user A may create a comment as message M associated withdocument D. At step 1850, user B may automatically receive message M asrelational information in the context bar while browsing document D. Atstep 1855, B may reply to the comment, where the reply R is typicallyinserted as nested element of the message M. At step 1860, user A mayload the document D at a later date. At step 1865, user A typicallyreceives reply R as relational information in the context bar whilebrowsing document D. At step 1870, the process ends.

Reconciling Top-Down & Bottom-Up Collaboration

The ‘knowledge gap’ created by direct and explicit information mayinclude the following organizational effect. The organization managesthe exponential difficulty of managing a process through directcoordination (due to the exponential growth of explicit information in anetwork) by instituting top-down hierarchy. As a group expands, itbecomes increasingly subdivided and hierarchical, in an effort to gainmanageability. Managers assume positions in the hierarchy. Hierarchy isrequired in the context of explicit information, but has the effect ofmaking the organization static and unresponsive to change.

A principle of knowledge work established by the invention is thatknowledge work is fundamentally dynamic. Neither the product nor processof information work can be known before the work is performed.Otherwise, the information product would already exist. Unlike amanufactured good, there typically is only value in creating informationonce. There is value in creating the same automobile many times; thereis typically no value in creating the same information twice. This isthe fundamental difference between the new, knowledge economy and theold, manufacturing economy. Knowledge work is fundamentally dynamic,manufacturing work is fundamentally static.

The principle of knowledge work explains why hierarchy fails in theknowledge economy. It also explains why attempts to apply staticworkflow automation in knowledge environments, such as Microsoft's SQLWorkflow or Lotus Notes™ appear to be insufficient, and why “a priori”process management software, such as Microsoft Project® appear to be inlimited use. The principle also explains why central, statically orderedfile sharing systems have failed to capture market share, while personalfile systems and flexible e-mail transfer have become ubiquitous asknowledge work. These systems have failed because they are static andlinear. Knowledge work is dynamic and non-linear.

In contrast, the invention establishes a mechanism of knowledge workfrom the “bottom-up”, and as a “network dynamic”. Individuals, groups,activities may self-organize based on the relational information whichfuels implicit collaboration. Workers do not need to coordinate theirwork explicitly, or even know they are working with one another. To workin the space is to collaborate. Processes of individuals, groups, andgroups of groups become aligned, and efficient, as a product ofindividual work within the shared environment.

The invention may also reconcile bottom-up and top-down collaboration byallowing users to assign work to others (top-down) or to self-assignwork (bottom-up) based on relational information. The environment mayallow an organization to roll up activities (creating from thebottom-up) into a top-down hierarchy to assess productivity, an evolvingproduct, or evolving process. Executives may receive a continuouslyintegrated view of the process and product of knowledge work.

The environment provided by the invention establishes a framework formaximizing bottom-up collaborative productivity and top-down decisionsupport/business intelligence. Data systems manage state. Theinformation system of the invention establishes managed change. Prior tothe invention, change is unmanaged. An example is Microsoft Word'sdocument format, which captures change only until it is absorbed bydocument state (e.g., when a user accepts a change). Prior to theinvention, systems may have the ability to capture change, but usersmanage change. Those users manage the reconciliation of data change,they manage the transfer of changed data via e-mail, they communicateand direct the process of change by e-mail and other explicit means, andthey manage the subsequent meaning of change.

The invention enables the fundamental reconciliation of state and changewithin the CDM, as the confluence of managed process/change and managedproduct/state. Several constructs built upon the mechanism of relationalchange further illustrate the reconciliation.

The invention provides for establishing the “activity” as a naturalcontainer of work (change). The activity may be implemented as a file,for example. The activity's membership may be determined by derivedaccess, an access control granting view and/or manage access to membersof the activity. A group is typically created to contain the membershipof the activity. This group is typically the recipient of derivedaccess. The activity may include a summary, or statement of purpose, aset of threaded discussions, a set of shared tasks, a set of workingdocuments, and a structure called a “semantic web” which captures workperformed by activity members. The structure of the activity may berecursive, containing sub-activities. In combination with the sharedtask set, the activity may provide a data structure corresponding to thetask hierarchy of project management software (such as, for example,Microsoft Project), enabling fluid integration of project tasks andshared data.

The invention provides for establishing the “semantic web” (or semanticassociation) as a mechanism of managing and maintaining the correctness,completeness, and consistency of data (“3C”). Semantic association maycapture the linkage which exists in the embedded meaning of data. Thesemantic web includes the ability to capture that meaning. The web mayrelationally link data within a structure, such that members of thestructure are considered elements of a whole. The web may exist onmultiple levels, as in a hierarchy. Automation may allow a semantic webto respond dynamically and in real-time to the “consumption” (view,change) of member data. Automation may allow the web to maintain 3C.Action taken by a web may be governed by its access to member data. Forexample, the web may preempt change being made by a consumer, or provideinformation to a consumer.

An activity may capture work as a semantic association. Each change to afile belonging to the working file set contained by activity may becomepart of the association (if the change to the file is made under theactivity). If several activities contain the same file, the user maychoose the activity under which the work is performed. The activity andits semantic web may allow groups to work in the same document or set ofdocuments under different activities. Access to work performed withinone activity may then be restricted to members of the activity. If auser belongs to several activities which produced change in the samedocument, the user's view of that document may then automaticallycontain both changes.

The activity enables data atomicity and consistency by releasing (toevolution) the set of change only when the activity has been“completed”. The semantic web controls the subsequent correctness andconsistency (3C) of the change set. For example, if a user browses asection containing a change which belongs to the web, the relationalinformation sidebar will display the association, explaining the contextin which the change was made. The information provided may include theactivity, allowing the user to understand the purpose and meaning of thechange. For example, consider a set of documents containing a set ofchanges made to satisfy a certain provision of an employment agreement(perhaps as part of an activity delegated and carried out by severalattorneys). Eliminating or changing any element can destroy the force ormeaning of a provision. The semantic web may allow each attorneyreviewing the document to understand its meaning. Each attorneytypically receives contextual information in the context bar showing therelations that exist among changes/sections across a set of documents.In this way, the semantic web may allow a group of collaborators toprotect the meaning, consistency, and correctness of data content.

The semantic web may also have automatic trigger logic, tied to aspecific data element. Therefore, if the element changes, the webexecutes the automation. For example, the semantic web may target asection of California law, which, if changed by the Californialegislature, may impact the correctness and/or force of a document.Event-driven logic is triggered when the section of law is updated,notifying the appropriate attorney, such as, for example, the attorneywho drafted the document. As a result, the automation sends a message tothe appropriate attorney.

The semantic web may implicitly link the work of users and enforceconstraints. For example, if two users working in separate documentsbegin to edit different members of the same semantic association, itsautomation may send each user information in real-time, enablingsame-time collaboration (and allowing them to discuss consistency). Or,if a user begins to update any document content contained by a semanticassociation (as an example), relationship logic may automatically extendthe exclusion (making the section read-only to other users) to othermembers of the association for the duration of editing.

The semantic web may be used to link other related data, such as thesection of a document describing a graph and the graph itself. If thegraph changes, the text explaining the graph may be incorrect, or visaversa. If the graph automatically updates, as a result of linking withinthe graph, the association may automatically notify the appropriateuser.

In these ways, the invention enables an organization to manage change.Once a knowledge worker understands the meaning of an informationproduct, he/she is prepared to deploy its value. In a sharedenvironment, the effect of self-describing, relational informationincludes the creation of compound value. The environment of theinvention drives traffic (e.g., changes) to the entities viarelationships. Therefore, the relational density surrounding an entitymay quickly recognize its value to the organization or, alternatively,eliminates the entity from view if of deminimus value. In this way,information value may be continually reinvested and redistributedthroughout the organization, enabling knowledge management.

FIG. 17A is a functional block diagram of an embodiment showing mixedserial/parallel work flow. In the example, the invention enables usersto collaborate in any combination of serial and parallel work flow. Inthis example, a user U assigns two groups G1 and G2 a set of filescontained by activity through access derivation from access control1705. While both groups are working in the same activity file set, theirwork is separated by context, or as two information spaces. The firstinformation space may be associated with access control 1710,corresponding to activity 1. The second information space may beassociated with access control 1715, corresponding to activity 2. Work(change) done as part of activity 1 or 2 can then be accessed only bymembers of each activity, since access exclusion exists for each accesscontrol (1710 and 1715) assigned to groups G1 and G2. In this example,then, the activities provide multiple context in which group work isperformed. Each activity may include a set of changes made by members,allowing members to navigate and consider the set of change as a whole(the sum group work effort). And each information space automatesparallel workflow among members of an activity.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the “dynamic view” provided to each userbrowsing or editing (consuming) the set of documents is constructedbased on her activity membership (more specifically, the access controlher granting access to the activity and member content). If the userbelongs to only one of the activities, a document belonging to the filetypically includes only change belonging to that activity. That is, thedynamic view may integrate all change belonging to activities of whichthe user is a member. For example, if the user belongs to bothactivities 410 and 415, the dynamic typically integrates the sum changeof each activity.

As additional contextual information, the relational context bar mayautomatically display which sections of a document are controlled bywhich activities. If an activity (via access control) holds a manageexclusion on a part of the document (e.g., a subdocument), and the useris not a member of the activity, the application may display the contentas read-only, allowing the user to understand which sections arecontrolled by other activities.

In the same example, when a group “completes” an activity, the systemmay typically lift the manage exclusion of the associated accesscontrol. For example, when group 1 completes activity 1 (associated withaccess control 401), and the access exclusion of 401 is reset, thesystem may immediately evolve access in the views of members of activity2 (that is, members of access control 415, who were not members ofaccess control 410, but who share access to the evolving content throughaccess control 405). In this example, the activity may allow a group toperform a set of change/work as an atomic and isolated whole,maintaining the integrity and consistency of the unit of work, whilehiding/protecting the change/work from non-members of the activity untilthe activity is “completed”.

FIG. 17B is a flow chart of an embodiment showing mixed serial/parallelwork flow, starting at step 1730. At step 1735, user A may task anactivity by derived access to group G with manage/control access. Atstep 1740, members of group G may obtain exclusive manage access ofentities belonging to the access group and change the entitiesaccordingly. At step 1745, each activity member (members of group G) mayreceive the total set of change made under the activity. At step 1750,the activity may be “completed”, typically serially releasing the set ofchange belonging to the activity. At step 1755, other non-members maygain automatic access to the total set of activity change through accessevolution. They may typically receive that information set in real-timeand within their application view. At step 1760, all users who haveaccess to activity change typically receive contextual informationshowing change created within the activity. At step 1765, the processends.

The system may also provide “data reuse” through the temporal datamedium. The system may implement data reuse in NETFS as a form oftemporal containment. For example, a user may specify that a legaldocument contain another document at some time in the past. As a result,the system typically provides a view of the legal document embedding the“old” version of the contained document, even as other users may updatethe contained document.

The system may typically also provide multiple containment of an entityby multiple entities. The system may include multiple containment as afeature of NETFS. For example, several folders may contain the samedocument. The feature may allow, as an example, a user to cross-indexfiles in folder hierarchies.

Multiple containment may allow several entities to contain a commonpart. For example, two documents may contain a common subdocument. Asthe subdocument is changed, both documents are, in effect, updated withthe latest subdocument version. As users discover valuable content, theymay reuse or share the content in new documents. Each instance of reusemay create a new relationship connecting the desired content, whichincreases the probability that the content is in the future found andleveraged by other users. “Relational search” allows a user to searchfor content based on a mechanism which may value content by its“relational density” or relational connectivity.

The system typically provides “association” as a feature of NETFS,allowing users to associate one entity with another. An “association”relationship may capture the association.

The system may typically provide a file explorer application as part ofNETFS, which may allow users to browse and manage all files within asingle application (e.g., for example, documents, folders, messages,activities). The file explorer may provide a hierarchical view of files(illustrating the file containment structure). The file explorer mayrespond to the user's selection of a file by displaying a read-only viewof the file in a pane or other window.

The system may also allow users to access files remotely. An exampleincludes accessing, searching, browsing, and managing files (and theirrelational structure) through a web browser. The system may provide aclean mapping of managed data to HTML, given its relational structure.The system may provide a method of managing web content. The system mayact as a world-wide-web server. For example, the system may provide aweb server through HTTP. The system may provide HTML or XML as arepresentation of system managed data. The system may allow users toconsider system-managed data the “working” data medium and HTML or XML arepresentation or view.

The system may capture change in a word processing document in thefollowing way. Each change to the document may become an entity.Inserting a change may correspond to adding a containment relationshipthat inserts an entity (bearing data of the change) as a child of adocument, subdocument, or other contained element of the document.Removing a change may correspond to negating the containmentrelationship. The sequence of entities contained the entity may berecorded by the containment relationship (which may store the child'sposition in the sequence contained by the parent entity). In this way,the document may comprise a large set of evolving entities, includingsubdocuments, changes, and other contained elements of the document. Thedocument's evolution may be viewed as a process ofgranularization/unification. The user may unify change as whole sectionsof a document (may be considered the process ofcontraction/unification), and may granularize the document by change(may be considered the process of expansion/granularity). The wordprocessing environment typically receives and updates change inreal-time. For example, user A's view of a document may receive changebeing made to the document by other users, and visa versa. The followingexample illustratively shows this process.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps in the process ofparallel work flow among users working in a shared document, starting atstep 2600. At step 2610, the user may opens document D in anapplication. In step 2615, the system may integrate the dynamic view ofdocument D. In step 2620, the user may make a change to the document D.In step 2625, the system may persist the change and may send relationalinformation to all user applications consuming document D which alsohave access to the change. In step 2630, each consuming application mayautomatically update its data view to include the change. In step 2635,the process ends.

Prior to the invention, files are typically managed in a “compounddocument format”. XML may also be viewed as a compound document format.Whereas the compound document format compels data into a stricttree/hierarchy, the invention may levy no such requirement. Whereas thecompound document format compels one entity to subsume another, theinvention may make no such requirement. For example, the CDM may allow adocument and comment to exist as separate and autonomous entities joinedby “association” or an other means of relation.

In a broader class, “hierarchy” imposed prior to this invention carriesinto many realms of computer data and systems management. The inventionmay free computer systems from this limitation. For example, thesecurity model prior to the invention typically require that spaces fitwithin a tree. The result of the security model prior to the inventionmakes a lateral relationship impossible (or if a solution exists, itexists typically as a work around). For example, two companies wouldhave extreme difficulty prior to the invention creating a shared datasystem (between servers regularly used to manage data in eachorganization, e.g., not a special purpose entity) during the course ofan alliance, since neither security space may subsume the other. Thisholds for B2B and extranet relationships of many verities.

The invention solves the problem at a fundamental level by establishingwhat may be in part a lateral network dynamic. For example, two firmsmay easily and quickly establish a working collaborative relationshipusing the invention, since the data/information/security space may beconsidered continuous across each organization (when paired as anetwork). For example, a user in firm A may send an e-mail message to auser in partner/client B. The system typically creates a uniqueinformation context for that specific collaboration (with entity E),imposing no static hierarchy (at the level of the film) in the securityrelationship between A and B, while allowing A to control B's access toentity E. In this sense, the context generated by an individual e-mail(or any greater collaborative construct) may be considered a dynamicvirtual private network (VPN), which may enable powerful, lateralcollaborative relations between entities (e.g., for example, includingenterprises and universities, or autonomous governmental agencies in thecontext of intelligence sharing).

Unifying Security Context

The invention's access model may also enable an organization to createguaranteed file retention policies, simultaneously applied to documentsand e-mail. As a result of e-mail, prior to the invention, filereplication across hard drives is uncertain and unmanageable. Prior tothe invention, the content of an e-mail message is duplicated every timethe message is downloaded, copied into other folders, forwarded to otherusers, or included as part of a reply. The same is true for attachments,prior to the invention. NETFS may provide a managed system offile/e-mail lifecycle management. Features of the invention enablinglifecycle management include: (a) each message/file as a global entity,(b) the continuous data structure, preventing entity duplication.

Prior to the invention, about 90-95% of collaboration takes place viaemail, allowing information to spin out of control. Prior to theinvention, email transfer is not secure or regulated, files maytypically be copied everywhere as attachments, and there is no conceptof centralized storage and organization. The invention, however,includes the ability to enforce information boundaries and regulate howinformation is exchanged. Whereas systems prior to the invention onlymanage how information is accessed, the invention permits anorganization to manage how the information is exchanged (and its accesssubsequently revoked) within a fully controlled environment. Under theinvention's security paradigm, workers still use email (which they arecomfortable with) as the primary mechanism of exchanging information.However, according to the invention, email and attachments may now bemanaged and may remain within a single and secure information context.In this way, the invention establishes a “secure informationenvironment”, as shown above.

The access model of the invention may enable an organization to controlinformation exchange via the invention's security model andrules/policies/best-practices. The invention may allow an organizationto define “information boundaries”. Information boundaries may existwithin a single organization or span multiple organizations. Theinformation boundary may provide a container in which informationexchange is limited. For example, a container may exist surroundingmembers of an organizational unit, or enclose a client and/or matter inthe context of legal work (e.g., for example, including certain membersof a law firm, a client enterprise, and an investment bank). As a partof the invention's file system, e-mail may be subject to additionalsecurity provided by an enterprise security implementation, such as, forexample, Microsoft's ActiveDirectory. Since e-mail and files may remainin the single information space, users are not able to bypass securityby moving data between systems. For example, a user may not be able toe-mail a file to a user who would not otherwise have file access. Priorto the invention, even if access to a file is restricted by the securitymodel to a select group of users, a member can simply e-mail the file tounauthorized users. The invention may allow an organization to containdata within a single, secure space, while preserving the end-userexperience (e.g., the user typically cannot unintentionally ormaliciously move data out of the security context or boundaries).

The invention may provide a dynamic “virtual private network” for anycontext in which users collaborate across distributed sites (of theplatform). Those sites may belong to one or multiple organizations.Since each context may be managed individually, the method does notrequire that one organization “contain” the other from a top-downperspective. The trusted information model of the invention may providesecure, peer-to-peer exchange, connecting peers over the intranet,extranet, or Internet. Today, security requires public-key cryptographyto be managed individually by e-mail sender and recipient. The inventionmay enable secure, public-key exchange between sites, freeing individualusers from the security implications of data transfer. In this way, theinvention may provide a superior implementation of DRM (Digital RightsManagement).

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of an embodiment showing steps of theinformation lifecycle, starting at step 1900. At step 1905, the user mayextend derived access of entity E to a plurality of workers, beginningan information lifecycle. At step 1910, the users who received accessmay lose their access due to security policy. For example, a securitypolicy may allow only two weeks of access to the shared entity. Or, forexample, a security policy may allow the users to retain access to theshared entity only while a business relationship exists between the firmof the user(s) extending access and user(s) receiving access (which mayhave ended). At step 1910, all users may lose access to the entity dueto a file retention policy. For example, a file retention policy mayautomatically revoke access to data at a trigger point, such as threemonths after creation. At step 1920, the entity E may be automaticallydeleted from the CDM (e.g., for example, as an part of file retentionpolicy). At step 1925, the process ends. The entity may be cleanlyremoved from the system because the CDM typically prevents duplicationof an entity (prior to the invention, files and messages scatteredthroughout user inboxes and hard drives make the enforcement of fileretention policy nearly impossible). The invention may be considered ashaving a rope attached to an entity at all times, which it may retractat any moment (for security, information lifecycle, or other purposes).

While the invention has been described in terms of embodiments, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practicedwith modifications and in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A computer implemented method of access evolutionfor automating the sharing of access rights in a computer environmenthaving one or more access sharing relationships, comprising the stepsof: a) creating an access sharing relationship in which an accessprovider having a first set of access rights shares at least a subset ofthe first set of access rights with an access receiver having a secondset of access rights, so that the second set of access rights evolves asan automated function of the first set of access rights by way of theshared subset, wherein the access sharing relationship is one of one ormore access sharing relationships in a network of access control; b)defining the subset based on constraints of the access sharingrelationship; and c) sharing the subset with the access receiver,whereby the steps of defining and sharing comprise an iteration ofaccess evolution, and wherein the steps of creating, defining, andsharing are performed by a computer.
 13. The computer implemented methodof claim 12, wherein the sharing is implemented by derived accesscontrol, such that the access receiver derives access from the provider.14. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the accesssharing relationship is a first access sharing relationship furthercomprising creating a second access sharing relationship in the computerenvironment, wherein the access receiver of the first access sharingrelationship is also the access provider in the second access sharingrelationship.
 15. The computer implemented method of claim 12, whereinthe access sharing relationship is a first access sharing relationshipfurther comprising creating a second access sharing relationship in thecomputer environment, wherein the access provider of the first accesssharing relationship is also the access receiver in the second accesssharing relationship.
 16. The computer implemented method of claim 12,further comprising creating another access sharing relationship that issymmetrical to the access sharing relationship, such that an accessprovider in the another access sharing relationship is the accessreceiver in the access sharing relationship and an access receiver inthe another access sharing relationship is the access provider in theaccess sharing relationship, creating a bi-directional access sharingrelationship.
 17. The computer implemented method of claim 12, whereinthe step for sharing shares access to at least one of an entity and afile.
 18. The computer implemented method of claim 12, furthercomprising evolving the access rights of the receiver over time inresponse to changes in the access rights of the provider.
 19. Thecomputer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the access rightsinclude access constraints.
 20. The computer implemented method of claim12, wherein the step of defining the subset includes removing from thesubset another subset of access, wherein the another subset containsaccess for which a manage exclusion is applied, so that the evolution isdeferred by the manage exclusion for a limited or unlimited period timeduring serial workflow.
 21. The computer implemented method of claim 12,wherein the step of defining the subset includes adding to the subsetanother subset of access, wherein the another subset contains access forwhich a manage exclusion is released; so that access automaticallyevolves as a result of the completion of an iteration of serialworkflow.
 22. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein theaccess sharing relationship is defined between autonomous peers in adistributed network.
 23. The computer implemented method of claim 22,wherein the access sharing relationship is defined between one companyand another company.
 24. The computer implemented method of claim 12,further comprising deferring an iteration of access evolution for somelimited or unlimited period of time by a manage exclusion, providingserial workflow.
 25. The computer implemented method of claim 12,further including executing parallel workflow if access evolution is notdeferred for some limited or unlimited period of time by a manageexclusion, providing parallel workflow. 26-93. (canceled)
 94. Thecomputer implemented method of claim 17, wherein the entity comprises atuple.
 95. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein theaccess receiver having a second set of access rights evolving as anautomated function of the first set of rights by way of the sharedsubset, becomes a second access provider and shares at least a subset ofthe evolving second set of access rights with a second access receiverhaving a third set of access rights evolving as an automated function ofthe second set of access rights, wherein the access sharing relationshipis at least one access sharing relationship in a network of accesscontrol.
 96. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein theaccess receiver is one of a plurality of access receivers and the accessprovider is one of a plurality of access providers, any access receiverbecoming one of the plurality of access providers by granting accessrights to any of the plurality of access receivers.
 97. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 96, wherein the step of grantingaccess rights to any of the plurality of access receivers creates ahierarchical tree of derived and evolving access.
 98. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein after the step ofsharing the subset with the access receiver, any changes made by theaccess receiver to the entity or the file related to the subsetautomatically flow back to the access provider as long as the manageexclusion remains released.
 99. The computer-implemented method of claim12, wherein the step of sharing the subset with the access receivershares the entity or file in real-time, subject to the evolving accessrights of the access receiver.
 100. A computer program product embodiedin a computer readable storage medium as computer executableinstructions for implementing access evolution for automating thesharing of access rights in a computer environment having one or moreaccess sharing relationships, the instructions when executed by acomputer performing the steps of: a) creating an access sharingrelationship in which an access provider having a first set of accessrights shares at least a subset of the first set of access rights withan access receiver having a second set of access rights, so that thesecond set of access rights evolves as an automated function of thefirst set of access rights by way of the shared subset, wherein theaccess sharing relationship is one of one or more access sharingrelationships in a network of access control; b) defining the subsetbased on constraints of the access sharing relationship; and c) sharingthe subset with the access receiver, whereby the steps of defining andsharing comprise an iteration of access evolution, and wherein the stepsof creating, defining, and sharing are performable by a computer. 101.The computer program product of claim 100, wherein the sharing isimplemented by derived access control, such that the access receiverderives access from the provider.
 102. The computer program product ofclaim 100, wherein the access sharing relationship is a first accesssharing relationship further including creating a second access sharingrelationship in the computer environment, wherein the access receiver,of the first access sharing relationship is also the access provider inthe second access sharing relationship.
 103. The computer programproduct of claim 100, wherein the access sharing relationship is a firstaccess sharing relationship further comprising creating a second accesssharing relationship in the computer environment, wherein the accessprovider of the first access sharing relationship is also the accessreceiver in the second access sharing relationship.
 104. The computerprogram product of claim 100, further comprising the step of creatinganother access sharing relationship that is symmetrical to the accesssharing relationship, such that an access provider in the another accesssharing relationship is the access receiver in the access sharingrelationship and an access receiver in the another access sharingrelationship is the access provider in the access sharing relationship,creating a bi-directional access sharing relationship.
 105. The computerprogram product of claim 100, wherein the step for sharing shares accessto at least one of the entity and the file.
 106. The computer programproduct of claim 100, further comprising the step of evolving the accessrights of the receiver over time in response to changes in the accessrights of the provider.
 107. The computer program product of claim 100,wherein the access rights include access constraints.
 108. The computerprogram product of claim 100, wherein the step of defining the subsetincludes removing from the subset another subset of access, wherein theanother subset contains access for which a manage exclusion is applied,so that the evolution is deferred by the manage exclusion for a limitedor unlimited period time during serial workflow.
 109. The computerprogram product of claim 100, wherein the step of defining the subsetincludes adding to the subset another subset of access, wherein theanother subset contains access for which a manage exclusion is released,so that access automatically evolves as a result of the completion of aniteration of serial workflow.
 110. The computer program product 100,wherein the access sharing relationship is defined between autonomouspeers in a distributed network.
 111. The computer program product ofclaim 110, wherein the access sharing relationship is defined betweenone company and another company.
 112. The computer program product ofclaim 100, further comprising the step of deferring an iteration ofaccess evolution for some limited or unlimited period of time by amanage exclusion, providing serial workflow.
 113. The computer programproduct of claim 100, further including executing parallel workflow ifaccess evolution is not deferred for some limited or unlimited period oftime by a manage exclusion, providing parallel workflow.
 114. Thecomputer program product of claim 105, wherein the entity comprises atuple.
 115. The computer program product of claim 100, wherein theaccess receiver having a second set of access rights evolving as anautomated function of the first set of rights by way of the sharedsubset, becomes a second access provider and shares at least a subset ofthe evolving second set of access rights with a second access receiverhaving a third set of access rights evolving as an automated function ofthe second set of access rights, wherein the access sharing relationshipis at least one access sharing relationship in a network of accesscontrol.
 116. The computer program product of claim 100, wherein theaccess receiver is one of a plurality of access receivers and the accessprovider is one of a plurality of access providers, any access receiverbecoming one of the plurality of access providers by granting accessrights to any of the plurality of access receivers.
 117. The computerprogram product of claim 116, wherein the step of granting access rightsto any of the plurality of access receivers creates a hierarchical treeof derived and evolving access.
 118. The computer program product ofclaim 100, wherein after the step of sharing the subset with the accessreceiver, any changes made by the access receiver to the entity or thefile related to the subset automatically flow back to the accessprovider as long as the manage exclusion remains released.
 119. Thecomputer program product of claim 100, wherein the step of sharing thesubset with the access receiver shares the entity or file in real-time,subject to the evolving access rights of the access receiver.
 120. Thecomputer implemented method of claim 12, further comprising creating ahierarchy of access sharing based on a plurality of access evolutioniterations.
 121. The computer program product of claim 100, wherein theinstructions perform the step of creating a hierarchy of access sharingbased on a plurality of access evolution iterations.
 122. The computerimplemented method of claim 12, wherein the access provider comprisesone of: a user, a group, a task, a document, a file, a relation, afunction.
 123. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein theaccess receiver comprises one of: a user, a group, a task, a document, afile, a relation, a function.
 124. The computer implemented method ofclaim 12, wherein the access provider and the access receiver areentities linked together in a specific order or combination to establishone of: a serial work flow, a parallel work flow, and a combination ofserial and parallel work flow.
 125. The computer implemented method ofclaim 17, wherein the entity comprises one of: a form, a relationship,an access provider and an access receiver.
 126. The computer programproduct of claim 105, wherein the entity comprises one of: a form, arelationship, an access provider and an access receiver.